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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chip · patient · firm · track · pitch · hand · wave · rash

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. chip — to eat
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. hand — in cards
  6. pitch — completely
  7. track — a path
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. track — a song
  13. chip — for betting
  14. hand — help
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. firm — steady
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. rash — a series
  21. firm — decided
  22. rash — hasty
  23. firm — a company
  24. track — to keep track

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com